Decorticating-machine.



PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906.

M. OASTELLON. DECORTIGATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1905-4 4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES.

AUQR/VEYS PATENTED MAR. 27

M. OASTELLON. DEOORTIUA-TING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

GzsZeZZaza- ATTORNEYS No. 816,296. Y PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906.

M. GASTELLON.

DECORTIGATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1905. I

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES.

flfdesio (Zzsfellow ATTORNEYS v No. 816,296. PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906.

M. GASTELLON. DEGORTIGATING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 5. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

m 0 [11 RR I WE lilll-lll-llL-l N w w @m vz WITNESSES: INVENTOR JfdestoCaszfeZZwz ATTORNEYS 'uoDEsTo' CASTELLON, or MERIDA, MEXICO.

DECORTICATlNG-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.tatented Maren Application filed January 5,1905. Serial No 239,741.

ToaZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MonEsro CAsTELLoN, a citizen of the Republic ofCuba, and a resident of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, have invented a new andImproved Decorticating- Machine, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

The purpose of the invention is to construct a machine for decorticatingthe leaves of plants, especially sisal hemp, and to provide a. machinewhich will expeditiously remove the pulp from the fiber in a thoroughand 1cileanly manner and without detriment to the her.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a machine having twodecorticatingwheels so arranged that the first wheel will act to scrapeone portion of a leaf and the sec ond wheel the remaining portion of thesame leaf, means being provided for automatically presenting the partsof the leaf to be scraped first to one wheel and then to the other.

A further purpose of the invention is to so construct the machine thatit will be as light as possible consistent with strength and will besimple, durable, and economic andpractically automatic in its actionhowever the material is fed thereto.

The invention consists in the novel con struction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding p'arts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section takenpractically on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectiontaken substantially on the line 4 4 of'Fig. 1. Fig. 5

. is a sectional edge view of the first conveyerwheel, the section beingtaken practically on the line 5 5 of Fig. 6, the view being drawn on alarge scale. Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of the twoconveyer-wheels and the conveyer chain carried thereby, and Fig. 7 is adetail view of a portion of the conveyer-chain.

The frame of the machine consists of a forward longitudinally-locatedsection A, an intermediate transverse section .B, and a par allel reartransverse section C. The intermediate section B of the frame is securedto the forward section A in any suitable or approved manner, and the twoparallel transverse sections B and C of the frame are 'connected by bars(1 (shown in Fig. 1') Orby any other suitable means. In the constructionof the forward section A of the frame two cheek-pieces 10 are employed,which pieces are parallel and are connected in any suitable or approvedmanner. Upon the upper face of the cheel -pieces 10 two shafts 11 and 13are journaled in suitable bearings, and at the lower portion of the saidcheek-pieces about intermediate of the shafts 11 and 13a lowerintermediate shaft 12 is journaled, preferably in adjustable bearings.

A sprocket-wheel 14 is secured to each end portion of the upper forwardshaft 11 within the frame A, and between the ends of the shaft 1 1 athird sprocket-wheel 14 is secured. Sprocket-wheels 15, corresponding tothe sprocket-Wheels 14, are secured upon theforward upper shaft 13, asis likewise a sprocketwheel 15, secured to the said shaft 13'between itsends.

An endless feed-belt 16 is made totravel over thelongitudinally-opposing sprocketwheels 14 and 15 at what may be termedthe left-hand side of the machine, and an intermediate feed-belt 17 ismade to travel over the intermediate sprocket-wheels 14 and 15 and atthe right-hand side of the machine a third feed-belt 18 is made totravel over the sprocket-wheels 14 and 15 on the shafts 11 and 13,located at the right-hand side of the frame, as is particularly shown inFig. 2, wherein it will be observed that all of the feed-belts 16, 17,and 18 are parallel. p

A table 19 is suitably supported at the forward end of the frame A,extending partially over the receiving portions of the feed-belts 16,17, and 18,,as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and on this table 19 theleaves'20tobe'cl'eaned are transversely laid, as is indicated in Fig. 2.A sprocket-wheel 21 is secured upon the lower shaft 12 between itscenter and its right-hand end, and between the center-of theupper rearshaft 13 and its right-hand end a corresponding and aliningsprocketwheel 22 is also secured.

With reference to the forward transverse or intermediate frame B itconsists of two cheek-pieces 23, (shown in Fig. 1,) which cheek-pieces,as is illustrated in Fig. 3, consist of a right-hand high section b anda lefthand low section b. In fact, the cheek pieces 23 of the frame Bare more or less L-shaped in general formation and are made skeleton ICOin construction, so as to be as light as possible. The cheek-pieces 23of the frame B are connected at about the central portion of theirhigher sections 1) by a cross-bar 24, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, andthis cross-bar 24 serves to support a bearing 25, which extendstransversely of the machine, as is shown in Fig. 3, the cross-bar 24extending longitudinally of the machine. In this bearing 25 a shaft 25*is mounted to revolve.

The rear section C of the frame of the machine is made higher than theintermediate section B, but is of the same shape, comprisingcheek-pieces 26, having a right-hand high 1 portion 0 and a left-handlower portion 0.

The cheek-pieces of the said frame, formed as described, are connectedby a cross-bar 27, f corresponding to the cross-bar 24 heretoforementioned, and this cross-bar 27 supports a bearing 28, corresponding tothe bearing 25 above referred to, and in the bearing 28 a shaft 28 ismounted to revolve. A conveyer-wheel 29 is made to turn loosely on theshaft 25, and a corresponding conveyer- Wheel 30 is made to turn looselyon the shaft 28. These two conveyer-wheels 29 and 30 are arranged intandem and are of the same diameter and of the same construction. Thesaid conveyer-wheels 29 and 30 are in longitudinal alinement with thesprocket-wheels 21 and 22 in the front section A of the machineframe.

Each conveyer-wheel 29 and 30 is provided with two peripheral grooves31, located at opposite sides of its center, as is best shown in Figs. 3and 4. Brackets 32 are made to extend rearward from the lower portion ofthe rear cheek-piece of the rear transverse section C of the frame, andin these brackets 32 the drive-shaft 33 for the machine is mounted torevolve. This drive-shaft is provided with an attached sprocket-wheel34, which is in longitudinal alinement with the conveyerwheels 29 and30, and at one end of the said shaft 33 a driving-pulley is attached,which receives a belt 36, connected with any source of power.

An endless conveyer-chain D forms a feature of the invention. Thisconveyer-chain D is carried from the driving sprocket-wheel 34 over thetop portion of the rear conveyerwheel 30, down between the two wheels 30and 29 to an engagement with the under face of the forwardconveyer-wheel 29. From thence the said conveyer-belt D is carried overthe sprocket-wheel 22 on the upper feedshaft 13 and downward around thesprocketwheel 21 on the lower shaft 12 in the forward section A of theframe, which sprocketwheel 2 1 is utilized as an idler and a tightener,and finally the conveyer-belt D is carried from the sprocket-wheel 21again to the driving-sprocket 34. In this manner by the movementimparted through the drivingshaft to the conveyer-chain D movement isimparted through said chain to both of the conveyer-wheels 29 and 30 andto the feed belts or chains 16, 17, and 19 through the medium of thesprocket-wheel 22 on the feedshaft 13. I arbitrarily denominate thatportion of the conveyerechain which passes over the upper portion of theconveyor-wheel 30 the upper stretch of said chain, since it is theworking upper portion of the chain, and I denominate that portion of theconveyere chain which passes around the bottom portion of theconveyer-wheel 29 the lower stretch of the chain, since it is the lowerworking portion of the chain.

The conveyer-chain D is of peculiar construction, as is clearly shown inFig. 7 of the drawings, wherein it will be observed that a link of thechain consists of two parallel members 37 and 37 having longitudinalrecesses 38 in the outer face of one end of its members and interiorlongitudinal recesses 39 in the inner faces of the opposite ends of itsmembers. Thus when the two members 37 and 37 are assembled to form alink one end 01 of the link is narrower than the opposing end (1, thedifference being such that the narrower end (I of one link may beintroduced into the recessed portion of the wider end (1 0f the opposinglink and at the narrower endd of a link interiorly located, and opposingspacing-lugs 40 are formed, which lugs are apertured, as are likewisethe members 37 and 37 a of the link, to receive a pivot-pin 41, whichwhen two links are connected in the manner described is passed throughthe spacing-lugs 40 of the entering link and through correspondingapertures in the members of the link entered. Such a chain affords awide bearing for the material to be carried and, taken in connectionwith the particularly grooved conveyerwheels 29 and 30, serves to holdthe leaf when brought between the conveyenbelt and a conveyer-wheelfirmly in fluted form, as is shown in Fig. 3, effectually preventing theleaf from slipping while so held during the decorticating operation.

In connection with each of the conveyerwheels 29 and 30 I employ adecorticating or scraping wheel of any suitable or approvedconstruction. The scraping-wheel provided for the forward conveyer-wheel29 is designated as E and the scraping-wheel for the rear conveyer-wheel30 is designated as E, the scraping-wheels being clearly shown in Figs.2, 3, and 4. These scraping or decorticating wheels E and E are locatedat the same side of the machinenamely, the left-hand side and are atright angles to the side faces of the conveyor wheels 29 and 30, as isclearly shown in Fig. 2. Each scraping or decorticating wheel is shownas provided with transverse lugs 42 at the exterior of its rim andscraping-blades 43 secured to such lugs. The forward scraping ordecorticating wheel E, provided for the conveyer-wheel 29, is securedIIO to a shaft 44, and the said shaft is mounted to turn in suitablebearings 45, located in the upper portion of the lower members I) ofthesection B of the frame, and the shaft 44 for the said scraping-wheel Eis practically in longitudinal alinement with the lower outer edge ofthe rim of the said conveyer-wheel 29, as is illustrated in Fig. 3. Acurved trough 46 is supported upon the said frame B, and this trough isbelow the scrapingwheel E, extending from a point below the center ofthe shaft 44 of the said wheel upward to a point adjacent to the bottomrim portion of the conveyer-wheel 29 at its lefthand side,.as is shownin Fig. 3, and this trough is adapted to receive and form a bearing forthat portion of the leaf 20 which is to be acted upon by thescraping-wheel E, as is also clearly shown in Fig. 3. The shaft 47, uponwhich the other scraping or decorticating wheel E is secured, is mountedto turn in suitable bearings 48 in the lower members 0 of the rearframesection C, as is shown in Fig. 4, and the bearings 48 for the shaft47 are at some distance above the bearings 45 for the shaft 44, as willbe readily observed by a comparison of Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. The shaft 47,carrying the scraping-wheel E, is practically in horizontal alinementwith the upper outer rim portion of the conveyerwheel 30, as isillustrated in Fig. 4, and a trough 49, corresponding to the trough 46and utilized for the same purpose, is located below the lower portion ofthe rear scraping or decorticating wheel E, extending from a point belowthe center of the shaft 47 upward in a curved line to a point adjacentto the upper outer rim portion of the conveyerwheel 30, as is also shownin Fig. 4. The shafts 44 and 47 for the two scraping or decor. ticatingwheels E and E are independently driven, the shaft 44 being providedwith an attached pulley 50, driven by a belt 51, while the shaft 47 forthe other scraping or decortieating wheel is provided with a pulley 52,

driven by a belt 53, the belts 51 and 53 receiving motion from anysuitable source of power.

Between the two frames B and C at the right-hand side of the machine across-bar 55 is secured, and on this cross-bar a blower 54 is attached,the nozzle end 56 whereof is directed toward the right-hand side of themachine and is located adjacent to the space between the lower portionsof the conveyerwheels 29 and 30 and practically in alinement with thelower edge of a switch F, located at the lower portions of the twowheels 29 and 30, diagonally crossing the space between the two wheels,and such switch is given an inclination from its bottom end upward andrearward. The switch is attached to the frame 26, as is indicated inFig. 1, andis independent of both of the conveyer-wheels 29 and 30. Asis illustrated in Fig. 6, this switch preferably consists of parallelside members 57 and 58 and end members 59 and 60. The forward portion ofthe switch F at the top and at the bottom is beyond the right-hand faceof the conveyer-wheel 29 and the conveyer-chain D; but at the upperportion of the lower side member 58 of said switch the said side memberis transversely enlarged, as is shown at 60, the enlargement being indirection of the left-hand side of the machine and being at theleft-hand side of the rear portion of the conveyer-belt D,.

where it leaves the wheel 29 to meet the wheel 30, as is shown in Fig.5, and such enlargement 60 at its left-hand side is provided with acam-surface 61, which is adapted to assist in turning a leaf end for endas theleaf is being passed from one conveyer-Wheel to the other, sincewhen one portion of the leaf is being cleaned in the trough 46 by thefirst scraping-wheel E the leaf is held between the upper face of theconveyer-chain and the lower surface of the conveyer-wheel 29 but as theother end of the leaf is to be cleaned on the same side of the machineby the rear scraping-wheel E it is necessary that the leaf bepractically turned end for end before it passes to the rearconveyer-wheel 30, thus bringing the uncleaned portion of the leaf,which was at the righthand side of the machine, to the left-hand sideand the cleaned portion of the leaf to the right-hand side of themachine, and in thus turning the leaf end for end, which is accomplishedby its engagement with the cam surface 61, as is shown in Fig. 5, theleaf is passed between the rear face of the chain D and the opposingrim-face of the rear conveyer-wheel 30, permitting the uncleaned portionof the leaf to hang down at the left-hand side of the wheel 30 and thecleaned portion of the leaf at the right hand side of the same wheel, asis shown in Fig. 6. Under these conditions the portion of the leaf whichwas not cleaned at the initial scraping operation is brought into thetrough 49 and is cleaned by the second scraping-wheel E. The cleanedleaf is then conducted by any suitable mechanism to any desired place. IThe cam-surface 61 of the switch F would not of itself be sufficient toeffectually obtain a reversal of the leaf. Therefore the blower 54 isemployed, as the said blower will direct its blast of air to the cleanedportion of the leaf, as is shown in Fig. 5, and force that portion tothe right, thus as sisting the cam portion of the switch to throw theuncleaned and heavier end of the leaf from the right to the left. Suchoperation is clearly indicated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. Theblower is shown driven by means of a belt 62, passed over a pulley 63 onthe shaft 47 of the rear scraper E, which belt 62 is likewise passedover a suitable pulley 64 on the blower-shaft.

Having thus described my invention, I

conveyer-wheels being arranged tandem, an

endless conveyer-chain in engagement with the grooved portions of thewheels, the said chain passing in engagement with the bottom of onewheel and the top of the other, said chain being constructed of seriesof pivotally-connected and interlocking links, and scraping-wheelsmounted to revolve opposite the side faces of the conveyer-wheels and atright angles thereto, troughs leading from the chain-engaged portions ofthe said conveyer-wheels to the lower portions of the respectivescraping-wheels, a switch located between the two conveyer-wheelsopposite the lower portion of the wheel in engagement with the lowerstretch of the chain and means to cooperate with the switch to changethe leaf end for end. i

3. In a decorticating-machine, conveyerwheels arranged tandem, anendless conveyerchain in engagement with the lower portion of one wheeland the upper portion of the other wheel, a switch and means tocooperate with the switch to change the leaf end for end located betweenthe conveyer-wheels adjacent to the lower stretch of chain, and scrapingdevices mounted to operate at right angles to the side faces of theconveyer-wheels, the axes of the said scraping devices being one higherthan the other, so that the upper portion of the initial scraping deviceis slightly below the axis of the adjacent scraping device, and the axisof the initial scraping device is practically in horizontal alinementwith the lower edge of the first conveyerwheel, and the axis of thesecond scraping device is in horizontal alinement with the upper edge ofthe second conveyer-wheel.

4. In a decorticating-111achine, conveyerwheels arranged tandem, anendless conveyerchain in engagement with the lower portion of one wheeland the upper portion of the other wheel, a switch located between theconveyer-wheels adjacent to the lower stretch of chain, andscraping-wheels mounted to re volve at right angles to the side faces ofthe conveyer-wheels, the axes of the said scraping-wheels being onehigher than the other, so that the upper portion of the initialscraping-wheel is slightly below the axis of the adjacentscrapingqvheel, and the axis of the initial scraping-wheel ispractically in horizontal alinement with the lower edge of the firstconveyer-wheel, and the axis of the second scraping-wheel is inalinement with the upp er end of the second conveyer-wheel, andsegmental troughs located below the under edges of the scraping-wheels,the said troughs extending up one to the upper edge of oneconveyer-wheel and the other to the lower edge of the otherconveyer-wheel.

5. In a decorticating-machine, conveyer wheels arranged tandem, anendless conveyerchain in engagement with the lower portion of one wheeland the upper portion of the other wheel, a switch between theconveyerwheels adjacent to the chains means to cooperate with the switchto change the leaf end. for end, scraping-wheels mounted to revolve atright angles to the side faces of the conveyer-wheels, both of thescraping-wheels being on the same side of the machine and the switchbeing located at the opposite side of the machine and troughs for thescrapingwheels.

, 6. In a decorticating-machine, conveyerwheels arranged tandem, anendless conveyerchain in engagement with the lower portion of one wheeland the upper portion of the other wheel, a switch between theconveyerwheels adjacent to the chains, scrapingwheels mounted to revolveat right angles to the side faces of the conveyer-wheels, both of thescraping-wheels being on the same side of the machine and the switchbeing located at the opposite side of the machine, a blower located onthe side of the machine on which the scraping-wheels are located, saidblower being located between the scraping-wheels and the nozzle of theblower extending in the direction of the switch below the under edgethereof and troughs for the scraping-wheels.

7. In decorticating-machines, conveyerwheels, an endless conveyer-chainpassed over the top of one wheel and in engagement with the bottom ofthe other wheel, scraping devices located at angles to the side faces ofthe conveyenwheels, and devices for reversing the leaves carried by theconveyer-chain at a point between the two conveyer-wheels.

8. In decorticating-machines, the conveyer-wheels arranged in tandem, anendless conveyer-belt passed in engagement with the top of one wheel andwith the bottom of the other, scraping-wheels mounted at right angles tothe conveyer-wheels and located at the same side of the machine, theaxis of the initial scraping-wheel being in horizontal alinement withthe under edge of the adj acent conveyer-wheel and the axis of thesecond scraping-wheel being in horizontal alinement with the upper edgeof the second conveyer-wheel, troughs for the scraping-wheels and areversing mechanism located at a point between the two conveyer wheels,comprising a blower located at one side of the machine and a switchlocated at the opposite side of the machine, the switch being adjacentto the lower portion of the conveyer-wheel with which the lower stretchof the conVeyer-belt engages, and the outlet for the blower beingadjacent to the under side of the said switch.

9. In decorticating-machines, the conveyer-wheels arranged in tandem, anendless conveyer-belt passed in engagement with the top of one wheel andwith the bottom of the other, scraping-wheels mounted at right angles tothe conveyer-wheels and located at the same side of the machine, theaxis of the initial scraping-wheel being in horizontal alinement withthe under edge of the adjacent conveyer-wheel and the axis of the secondscraping-wheel being in horizontal alinement with the upper edge of thesecond conveyer-wheel, and a reversing mechanism located at a pointbetween the two conveyerwheels, comprising a blower located at one sideof the machine and a switch located at the other side of the machine,the switch be ing adjacent to the lower portion of the conveyer-wheelwith which the lower stretch of the conveyer-belt engages and the outletfor the blower being adjacent to the under side of the said switch, andtroughs located adjacent to the bottom portions of said scraperwheels,one trough leading to the upper edge of one conveyer-wheel and the othertrough leading to the lower edge of the other con- Veyer-wheel.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

MODESTO OASTELLON.

Witnesses:

J. FRED. AcKER, W. Town

